Reversible rotary engine.



No. 790.523. PATENTED MAY 23, 1905.

H. E. PARRY, R.'W. THOMSON ny W, J. FARLEY.

l REVERSIBLE ROTARY ENGINE.

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NQ., 790,523. PATENTED MAYZS, 1905. H. E. PARRY, R. W. THOMSON & W. J. FARLEY.

.REVERSIBLE ROTARY ENGINE.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 29, l1904.

a SHEETS-'SHEET 2.

No. 799,529. n PATENTBD MAY 23, 19O5f H. E. PARRY, R. W. THOMSON 9 W.'J. FARLEY.

REVERSIBLE ROTARY ENGINE.

f APPLICATION HLBD JULY 29, 1904.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Patented May 23, 1905.

A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HENRY ERNEST PARRY, ROBERT WILLIAM THOMSON, AND WILLIAM JAMES FARLEY, OF PERTH, WESTERNAUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.

REVERSIBLE ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 790,523, dated. May 23, 1905. Application filed July 29, 1904. Serial No. 218,686.

To all whom t may con/cern.-

exact description ofthe invention, such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to figures of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification.

This invention of an improved reversible elliptical-shaped cylinder and also in the peculiar arrangement of a central circular valve which proceeds into the bore of the piston and communicating with portsformed radially in the piston for the admission and exit of steam to and from each of the driving-blades of the piston.

lrotary engine consists in the employment of a(` rotary and circular piston working within an The invention further essentially consists 'in the means for independently or concurrently operating the valves and also in Ameans for controlling the elliptical travel of the multi-I ple blades and for the simultaneous admission and exit of steam to and from opposite points of the piston, so allowing of an easy and instant reversal of the engine and also of the use of the steam to its maximum expansive value. n

In order to clearly understand the construction andAoperation'of this invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings illustrating same, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectionalview of the engine. In this ligure the continuation yof the engine bed-plate and shaft with its outer bearing and wheels is not shown, as such do not constitute essential parts of this invention; Figs. 2 and 3 are transverse sectional views on lines a 7) and c d of Fig. 1, respectively. Fig. 4 is a detail elevation of the piston with its blades and ports. Fig. 5 is asectionthrough the exhaust-ports of the piston, as on line e f ofFig. 4L, while Fig. 6 is a similar view, but

through the steam-inlet ports of the piston, as on line g z, of Fig. 4.

In the figures, 1 denotes the elliptical-shaped cylinder, formed with the outer steam-jacketed chamber 2. The cylinder by means of its base 3 is secured to the bed-plate 4 of the engine and in the usual manner and is provided with Athe back and front covers 5 and 6, which are secured by bolts 7 and made steam-tight. The front cover, as 5, is provided or made one with the extension or sleeve piece 8, which acts as la bearing for the engine-shaft 9, and such length to carry a liy or other wheel, as usual. o

The piston 12 of a diameter equal to the minor axis of the cylinder is circular in shape and made one with the engine-shaft by the flange 11, as above explained, and is thereby-arranged kand mounted upon such shaft in an overhanging manner. In and across this piston are formed two or more transverse slots 13, which y receive and in which are fitted the radiallymovable blades 111'Of any number and which latter act as the driving agents of the engine. These blades at their ends are formed'with trunnions or projections 15, which engage with and work within the continuous grooves or paths 16, formed in the end covers 5 and 6 of the cylinder. These grooves 16 are of an 'elliptical shape, so as to be agreeable with and concentric to that of the inner curve of their elliptical cylinder, the object of such grooves being tocontrol and cause the working faces of the blades 121 to be kept well home againsty the inner surface ofthe cylinder when starting the engine.

A ring, as 17, of an outer diameter equal tothe bore of the cylinder-is interposed and held between the front cylinder-cover 6 and the side lfaces of the blades 14, and which ring compensates and takes up the lengthwise wear of the blades as between the covers 5 and 6. This compensation-ring 17 is adjusted by the screw set-pins 18. Each of these blades is provided with its own steam inlet and outlet passages or ports 19 and 20, respectively, and placed as shown in Fig. 6 such ports extend radially through the piston and communicate with the central steam inlet and outlet passages of the Valve, whose end proceeds into and is held within the bore ot' the piston. This valve formation is circular and longitudinal in form and has its steam-inlet passage 21 placed centrally and constructed as clearly shown in Fig. 1. This passage 21 is made with the oppositely-placed outlet-mouths 22 and which face and lead into the radial steamports, as 19,4 of the piston. The exhaustpassages 23 are formed outside of such central steam-inlet passage and communicate with the outlet-chamber, hereinafter referred to. Said exhaust and inlet passages are formed so as to comprise one piece, as shown' in Fig. 1, the inlet-mouths 24 of such exhaustpassages 23 being controlled by a circular sleeve which forms the exhaust-valve, as 25. This exhaust-valve is made with openings which coincide with the outlet-ports of the piston. In the bore of the piston and for its full length is placed a fixed liner-sleeve 26, whose object is to provide a smooth and renewable surface for the exhaust-valve 25. This latter valve proceeds half-way into the piston and rests against the shoulder and also renewable liner-piece 27 and which latter is secured by a stud-point to the steam-inlet Valve. This shoulder-piece 27 is formed with openings to coincide with the steam-inlet mouths 22 and with the steam-ports 19 of the piston, and said renewable liner 27 allows ot' the adjustment of the cross-area of the piston inlet-ports 19. For operative purposes this exhaust-valve is provided at its other end with the toothed rim 28, engaging with its corresponding toothed wheel 29. This latter wheel is mounted on the short shaft 30, held in bearings 31 and provided with gland 32, said shaft being operated by the handle 33, working on and along its notched quadrant 34, as is usual with engine-reversing gear. The steam-inlet gear 21 is placed within the piston and bears on the sleeve 26 and shoulder-piece 27, as shown in Fig. 1. For operating said steam-valve it is at its other end provided with the tooth-rim, as 35, which engages with its wheel 36, mounted on the shaft 37, and said shaft being actuated by the handle 38 and quadrant, as shown, said operative gear being similar in construction and arrangement as that for the steam-inlet valve above described, and such Iinlet and outlet valves may be independently and simultaneously operated or reversed. The back end of this steam-inlet valve 21 enters the steam-inlet chamber 39, and in order to make a tight joint and obviate any escape of live steam into the exhaust-chamber the necessary packing 40 is forced into position by the circular ring 41, and this ring is adjusted by set-pins 42 and retention or lock nuts 43. These pins proceed outward and through the cover 44 of thesteam-chamber, as shown in Fig. 1.

The exhaust-steam chest 45 is made one with the back cover 5 of the cylinder or otherwise. The steam-inlet chest is provided with its back cover 46, which is secured bybolts 47, as shown. This back cover is attached or made an integral part with the steam-inlet chamber 39.

The manner of using this invention is mainly as follows: First, let it be assumed that the engine is desired to rotate, as denoted by the index arrow in Figs. 2, 5, and 6. Consequently the handle held in its notched quadrant and the chain of gear, denoted by parts numbered 36 to 38, controlling the steam-inlet valve 21, will all be so placed in fellowship as to cause the mouths 22 of such valve and the openings in the liners 26 and 27 to coincide and face steamadmission passages 19 in the piston, so as to result in the central passage 21 of the steamvalve and the steam-ports 19 in the piston becoming one free and continuous channel for the live steam, as leading from and in communication with the steam-inlet chamber 39, while the exhaust-ports 23 and 24 and 25 are also opened by operating the exhaust-valve gear 29 to 34. The steam being therefore now admitted to its inlet-chamber 39, it proceeds along the passage 21, and thence through the two inlet-steam ports 19 ot' the piston, and simultaneously enters the cylinder at the opposite points denoted by the steam-arrows s, Fig. 6. By reason of such entry the blades 14 become subject to the steam-pressure, and consequently the piston is caused to rotate. These blades during such rotation and by means of their trunnions 15 and controlling elliptical grooves 16 are made to move radially outward, so increasing their area upon which the steam acts. After reaching their maximum outward position they recede to their minimum inward position, by which time the live steam has now completed its duty. Concurrent with the cut-off of the live steam thc exhaust-ports 2O of the piston are brought over the exhaust-openings 24 ot' the valve, so allowing t'or the free escape of the now exhausted steam, as shown by the arrows a', Fig. 5, and through the two outlets 2O of the piston, and thence into the longitudinal exhaust-chambers 23 of the valve, and into thc outlet-chambers 45, as shown. Each ot` the piston-blades individually receive and exhaust two charges of steam during each rotation of the piston. 1t is obvious that by reason ot' the rotation ot' the piston its other steam and exhaust ports, respectively, meet and come opposite the steam-inlets and steam-outlets of their valves, so allowing the steam to enter and exhaust at any point of rotation of the piston in an independent and concurrent manner and as regulated by the valve-oper- IOO IIO

. controlled by one or more sets of operative gears. This operation, as 'described in connection with the two blades, equally applies in respect of all of the other or multiple blades of the piston. f

What We claim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a reversible rotary engine, the combination with a cylinder, of a rotary piston therein having radially-movable blades, a hollow cylindrical valve on which said piston is mounted, said valve having a central steaminlet passage and lateral exhaust-passages,

and radial steam inlet and exhaust passages in the piston between each pair of blades, substantially as described.

2. In a reversible rotary engine, the combination with an elliptical cylinder, of a circular rotary piston therein having radiallymovable blades and radial inlet and exhaust passages between each pair of blades, a hollow cylindrical valve having a central steaminlet passage with oppositely-directed ports and an exhaust-passage on each side of the inin, radially-movable blades in the piston hav` ing'lateral trunnions, means engaged by the trunnions to radially move the blades, a central hollow valve having a central steam-passage with oppositely-directed ports at one end and an enlarged steam-entrance at the other, a shorter exhaust-passage on each side of the steam-passage, a rotatable sleeve over the inner ends of the exhaust-passages and means to rotate the valve, said piston having an inlet and an exhaust port between each pair of blades, substantially as described.

4.v In a reversible rotary engine, the combinationV with an elliptical cylinder having front and rear covers each provided with an elliptical groove; of a circular rotary piston centrally mounted therein, a shaft having a flange connected to the piston, radially-movable blades in said piston each having a trunnion on its ends, said trunnions moving in the elliptical grooves in the cylinder-covers, a tubular valve extending centrally into the piston and having a central steam-passage with diametricallyopposite ports,ashorter exhaustpassage on each side of the steam-passage within the valve, a ported sleeve covering the exhaust-passages, an exhaust-chamber means within the chamber and operated from without the same to rotate the valve, and independent means to rotate the sleeve said piston having a radial inlet and an exhaust-passage to register with the respective ports to the steam and exhaust passages in the valve, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing as our invention we have signed our names in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY ERNEST PARRY. ROBERT WILLIAM THOMSON. WILLIAM JAMES EARLEY. Witnesses:

RICHARD SPARROW, NORMAN MURPHY. 

